


Side By Side

by Amagifu



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Erebor Reclaimed, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 20:26:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12872352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amagifu/pseuds/Amagifu
Summary: A moment’s respite from rebuilding Dale leads to a moment’s reflection.





	Side By Side

The view of the Long Lake from the dock looked south, the sun just west. Blaine could feel the presence of the mountain behind her. She tried to accept it and relax in it, as her friends in Erebor so easily did.

She felt the tread of footsteps on the dock. If Dori was coming out to disturb her peace and mother-hen her again...

"Blaine?"

She softly breathed a sigh of nervous relief. "Aye, Bofur?"

"Bombur plans to clean up the noonday meal soon. Have you not yet eaten yet?"

A slight pause. "No. But, if I don't, your brother and Dori will force-feed me, won't they?"

"You know how Bom is about keeping everyone happy and fed. And Dori, well, ask Ori..."

More footsteps, then her work companion settled down beside her. As much as she had craved some quiet from the work day in Dale, and as much as she fretted on how badly she had mangled things at the prior evening's meal, she would never refuse his presence.

She glanced over to catch him returning the sidelong look, the slight smile on his lips mirroring her own nervous one. Together they watched the shore birds flit across their view, enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Finally, she murmured, "You forgive too easily, if you're here."

The miner leaned back, his hand faintly brushing against hers. "And you worry too quickly, if you have to bring yourself out here."

Blaine sighed again, and in struggling to speak blurted, "I was a bumbling idiot yesterday. I overstepped myself with you, and with your family. I'm lucky Bifur didn't try to skewer me with that boar spear."

Bofur snorted softly but continued to watch the landscape. "You of all people know how protective my cousin is."

Her gut wrenched as she silently reveled in the sight of him, hat, braids, and all. "Bofur, I'm..."

He gently shook his head. "Sssh. Do not apologize again. I already accepted your apology, yes?"

Blaine made a small sound of agreement and quietly fidgeted. Of everyone in the mountain, including her gaming partner Nori, even including her hunting partner Bifur, the one whose opinion of her mattered the most sat right next to her.

When the sunlit silence was about to overwhelm her, Bofur straightened up and faced Blaine, his expression intent. The forester blushed at his scrutiny but managed to meet his gaze.

His smile remained, and now it reached his dark eyes. "Do you speak in earnest, what you said last night?"

Blaine's blush deepended, and in that eternity of his gaze she paused. She no longer knew when the miner had first whisked away her heart, nor whether she could ever formally admit to him that he now carried that small bundle of hope, her previous evening's drunken faux pas notwithstanding. But despite her apprehension she had to try, before she burst from not knowing her chances.

With the effort of moving a boulder, she whispered, "Yes."

His smile grew, and for a moment his hand rested atop hers. "Good."

In a blink, Bofur scrambled to his feet and held out his hand to her. "Come with me, before Bom boxes my ears for not getting you fed. Or before Bard comes looking for us, and then what will the gosspis say?"


End file.
